Siem Reap
Discover Siem Reap
The town of Siem Reap (សៀមរាប), in northern Cambodia, is the primary access point for the Angkor Archaeological Park, just north of the city. It is quite laid-back and a pleasant place to stay while touring the temples. It is a nice compromise between observing Cambodian life and enjoying the amenities of modern services and entertainment, thanks to a large foreign community. The name "Siem Reap" literally means "Siam Defeated", commemorating a (possibly apocryphal) victory over invading Thais in 1549. These days, however, the only rampaging hordes are the tourists heading to the Angkor Archaeological Park. This once quaint village has become a major tourist town, full of things to do, places to eat and drink. New high quality tarmac roads and beautiful wide paved sidewalks have replaced the red dirt pot holed roads that were muddy in wet season, and dusty in dry season. The building boom is mostly over, and it's now a very pleasant town with lots of beautiful shady trees, especially along the riverbanks and roads around Angkor Wat.
What to Experience in Siem Reap
Taste of Siem Reap...
Eating options span the full spectrum of tastes and budgets from the rudimentary Asian staples and pizza to authentic Khmer and sophisticated fine-dining featuring exotic local ingredients. The highest assortment of restaurants are in few blocks north of the old market, but there are appetizing alternatives along Wat Bo Rd and hidden in the surrounding neighbourhoods. Though Pub Street is better known for its bars, a handful of places serve great food, many with seating upstairs so you can escape the partying milieu on the street below. Crammed along The Alley is a wider selection of restaurants that offer a generally quieter and more intimate experience. The local restaurants lining Phsar Chas have extensive, yet near identical, menus of cheap fried rice and Westernised approximations of Khmer dishes. At dusk the Kindergarten on the corner of Street 8 and 11 becomes a jumble of small BBQ stalls, replete with billowing smoke, noise, and the persistently entreating peddlers. The phnom pleurng here is the cheapest you will find. Nestled in the leafy central neigborhood north of Pub Street and south of the Old French Quarter you'll find Siem Reap's rising arts and culture precinct. Further west of Kandel Village you will find this pleasant street with wide flat pavements full of nice restaurants including those below and Buribo Burgers, EASTanbul, Fresh Fruit Factory, Golden Pumpkin and Madam Moch.
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Siem Reap.
The Khmer believe that Thai massage is derived from Khmer massage and that it is more relaxing as it requires less twisting and turning. The numerous Khmer-style massage shops mostly offer genuine massage and are not a front for sexual services. Contrary to common belief, blind massage services do offer special massages too. Children are not tourist attractions, and especially orphaned children. Some visitors feel visiting an orphanage is a good way to make a positive contribution to Cambodia, while others feel that orphanage tours do more harm than good. The largest child protection group in the country has asked that tourists not to visit orphanages. The great majority of Cambodian children in orphanages have living parents, who rent them to the orphanages. Most are scams and have histories with severe child abuse. It is strongly encouraged that you do not support this 'business'. International ATMs in Siem Reap are plentiful and most banks will do cash advances from credit cards.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple Options13.37512104.221081 Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI ). Opened in October 2023, this clean and cool space is the country's largest airport. Being 50 km out of town, travel to and from this new airport costs more (except for seats on the minibus) and takes much longer than to the old airport, which has closed. It has one terminal and is served by international direct flights from Bangkok (both airports), Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and various airports in Laos (Luang Prabang) and Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang. Phu Quoc starting Dec 17th, 2025 with AirAsia). Flights from Seoul, Kunming, and Shanghai were scheduled to begin by early 2024. Cambodia Angkor Air flies domestic from Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville as well. US$8 per minibus seat, US$40 for private minivan transfer. (updated Oct 2025) Bus is a common way for getting around Cambodia with a range of bus companies serving Siem Reap, with several daily departures and arrivals (especially from Phnom Penh)....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Travel to and around the Angkor Archaeological Park is extensively covered in its own article. The following is a discussion of travel inside Siem Reap. The city centre is fairly compact and flat, now with good quality and often wide, paved sidewalks. Though in places you can find them doubling up as motorbike and car parking lots. However, as Siem Reap has grown, many interesting neighborhoods have popped up that are further outside of the main downtown business district, and are a bit out of the way for pedestrians. Siem Reap is a popular place to cycle, with some scenic cycle paths painted green, or trails in forests near roads leading to and around Angkor Wat. There is also a green cycle path running along side the river, often in the shade of large trees, starting at the Hard Rock Cafe, then heading north. Bicycle rental shops around town mostly don't open earlier than 07:00, so if you want to ride to Angkor Wat early in the morning, rent one the day before.
Where to Stay
A seemingly inexhaustible range of sleeping options from upmarket hotels, down to $3 dorm beds in backpacker hostels, with many guesthouses, boutique rooms, bungalows, concrete cells, wood huts and French villas in between, make finding a place to sleep one of the easiest things you will do on your trip. Hotels are spread over the entire city but most larger hotels line national highway 6 to the west of the city centre, cheap backpacker hostels tend to surround the old market area and stylish boutique hotels a nestled in the trees along Wat Bo Rd. Small Khmer run hotels and guest houses, especially in the low season, can be surprisingly good value if you are willing to do a bit of hunting for one that hasn't been overrun by the guidebook-toting hoards. Accommodations at every price point generally offer hot showers, cable TV, Internet and airport or bus pickup. Some may include free breakfast, though don't expect much more than an egg on toast and a coffee.
Money & Budget
International ATMs in Siem Reap are plentiful and most banks will do cash advances from credit cards. Two Sacombank ATMs can be found along Sivutha Boulevard west of the tourist hotspot aka Pub Street — see Cambodia#ATMs. ABA Bank, which is owned by a Canadian bank, and Canadia Bank, have a big, modern branch in the center of town. They have several modern ATMs, where you can withdraw up to US$500 with a fee of $5, dispensing notes usually in a mix of denominations of 50s and 20s. As of 2024, the ATMs no longer have the tendency of only allowing you to withdraw $100 bills, and will instead give you the opportunity to withdraw $20s or in Cambodian Rial. Most things in Siem Reap are overpriced wherever tourists are frequent, head further away from the center or bargain (at markets).
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Most locals are decent people just trying to make an honest living, but a few shady characters try every trick to take advantage of travelers' good will. Be alert to deceptive dealers but don't let suspicion ruin your trip. Convenience stores have been known to give incorrect change and pocket the rest. Check your change before you walk out of the store and point out any short changing. Most likely they will admit to their "mistake" and give you the right change. Street vendors and beggars in competition for generous travellers' handouts have developed cunning, if underhanded, techniques to get your attention (and money). The "beggar army" of young children will come up to you in the crowd and grab your hands, leading you to a shop where they will then try to have you buy food, baby milk or water for them. Baby milk powder seems to be a popular one.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Siem Reap
Angkor Wat, Agkor, Cambodia
Pub street Siem Reap Cambodia
Motorbike rickshaw in Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia, Buddhist temple,
man riding motor scooter
This was our favorite temple at Angkor Wat. We went here during our first day visiting the temples and the second day we decided to return at sun up. We were the only people in the temple for about an hour that morning. It allowed us to explore and experience the temple without the scores of tourists like the day before. Definitely the best way to experience this temple.
brown concrete building near green trees under blue sky during daytime
holiday bridge
Ta Prohm
a group of people walking across a lush green field
Angkor Wat, Agkor, Cambodia
Pub street Siem Reap Cambodia
Motorbike rickshaw in Angkor Wat